With the deactivation and the decommissioning of the USS Pittsburgh (SSN 720 submarine) we have moved much of our related content and other material below on this page.
As details are available, we will populate this page with information related to the newly named LPD 31 - USS Pittsburgh. This is the 5th ship named USS Pittsburgh.
Navy Capt. Matt Tardy shows renderings and still photos Thursday, March 19, 2026, of the U.S.S. Pittsburgh, the fifth ship named for the city.
Navy celebrates 5th ship named for Pittsburgh at Fort Pitt Museum March 19, 2026
The latest U.S. Navy ship to be named for Pittsburgh is approaching the halfway point of construction.
Current and retired U.S. Navy officers convened Thursday to celebrate the USS Pittsburgh, a San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship or landing platform dock (LPD) ship. LPDs are used to transport Marines and equipment augmented by landing craft and aerial support. Two such LPDs were recently deployed to Iran.
Around 350 sailors will crew the ship, which can transport more than 600 Marines.
“The Navy loves these ships,” Navy captain Matt Tardy told attendees at the Fort Pitt Museum in Point State Park.
On hand were retired and active sailors and reservists, members of local media and submarine veterans from the USS Requin, which now serves as an exhibit at the Kamin Science Center, and the since-decommissioned USS Pittsburgh.
That submarine was the fourth ship named for the city and was preceded by two destroyers bearing the name and a Civil War-era ironclad ship that played a role in campaigns on the Mississippi and Red rivers.
The naming of the fifth USS Pittsburgh means the Steel City has now had more ships named for it than any other U.S. city.
“The Navy sure likes Pittsburgh,” retired Navy captain Byron King said during remarks on the name’s history. He noted that the city’s Navy bona fides date back to before a Pittsburgh shipyard constructed the vessel for Lewis & Clark’s cross-country expedition. “Five capital ships [named] after the city — that’s a record.”
The fifth and current USS Pittsburgh is currently more than 40% of the way through construction by Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Miss. When completed, four diesel engines totaling more than 41,000 horsepower will propel the ship to top speeds of over 22 knots (24.2 miles per hour). It will be armed with two missile launchers, two Mk 46 close-in guns and 10 .50 caliber machine guns.
Speakers said they anticipated a launch and christening in 2027, with the USS Pittsburgh joining the fleet in 2028 or 2029.
Two other LPD Flight II ships also named for Pennsylvania cities are underway. The USS Harrisburg was launched in 2024 and christened last year, and the USS Philadelphia will follow shortly after the Pittsburgh. The Navy has authorized three subsequent LPDs.
The latter portion of Thursday’s event also focused on the role of ship sponsors, in this case, Nancy Dettmer, who took over as the Pittsburgh’s sponsor following the death of her mother in 2024. Dettmer encouraged locals to support the ship with donations that will be used to provide amenities to sailors and Marines on board and to foster a community around the ship in the Greater Pittsburgh region.
Speakers said past sponsors had been enthusiastic, hosting sailors on shore leave, collecting Terrible Towels and even putting together cookie tables for homecoming events.
“Every new ship … has to raise money to host the crew and other events for the commissioning, to purchase TVs for the rec rooms, to secure gym equipment for the sailors on the ship and, hopefully, to fund and maintain a scholarship fund for the families of the women and men serving the USS Pittsburgh,” Dettmer said before presenting an inaugural $50,000 check.
Speakers said local connections to the ship extend beyond the name and material support, with Pennsylvania providing over $1 billion in supplies to Ingalls for the manufacture of LPDs and other Navy vessels. Navy representatives said Pittsburgh’s industrial base remained an important keystone for the armed forces.
“Modern war is industrial war,” King said. “The side that builds and maintains the most equipment is likely going to win.”
New Navy Ship Named USS Pittsburgh
Edited from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, January 18, 2021
The last U.S. Navy vessel named for the city of Pittsburgh, a submarine, retired in 2019 after 35 years at sea, but the Navy announced that a new ship will bear the city's name.
Navy Secretary Kenneth Braithwaite said a future San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock will be the USS Pittsburgh (LPD-31), the fifth Navy vessel to honor the city. With Marines embarked, the ship has a crew of over 1000 Officers, Chiefs and enlisted. The normal crew size is a little over 350 - about three times the crew size our beloved USS Pittsburgh SSN 720 submarine.
"As a proud resident of the Keystone State, I know that Pittsburgh is a proud city with a strong legacy of service to our nation," Mr. Braithwaite said in a Navy video. "And the name USS Pittsburgh has served the Navy well."
Prior ships bearing the name of the city were a Union ironclad, cruisers in both world wars and most recently a Los Angeles-class attack sub that completed its final tour in 2019.
"I am confident that the crew of the future Pittsburgh will demonstrate the same excellence in support of amphibious and littoral operations around the world,” Braithwaite said.
The new 25,000-ton USS Pittsburgh was ordered in April, 2020 and is being built at a Mississippi shipyard by Huntington Ingalls Industries. The San Antonio-class amphibious transport docks are designed to transport troops and equipment to battle zones around the world. The class includes the USS New York, the first of three LPDs built in honor of the victims of the 9/11 terror attacks. The New York's bow stem was cast using steel salvaged from the World Trade Center. The others are the USS Somerset, site of the crash of Flight 93 on 9/11, and the USS Arlington, where another plane hit the Pentagon. Materials from the sites were incorporated into both ships.
The class also includes USS Harrisburg, being built in the same shipyard as the Pittsburgh.
The last USS Pittsburgh was a submarine launched in 1984 and saw action in both Iraq wars. It marked its 1,000th dive in November 2017, after which the crew posed for a picture holding a Terrible Towel, shown in the Legacy tab on our website.
Keel Authenticated for Future USS Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, and the Pittsburgh Council of the
Navy League of the United States was represented at the keel authentication for the future USS Pittsburgh, LPD 31, by Captain
Polly Bozdech-Veater, former Navy League national vice-president.
Pittsburgh Navy League sponsored the former USS Pittsburgh, SSN-720 for over 36
years and will do so for the “new” USS Pittsburgh.
https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Media/News/Article-View/Article/3415027/keel-authenticated-for-future-uss-pittsburgh/
From the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, June 11, 2023:
Newest USS Pittsburgh under construction in Mississippi | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
HII Begins Fabrication of Amphibious Transport Dock Pittsburgh (LPD 31)
USS Pittsburgh Fast Attack Submarine SSN 720 Legacy
The USS Pittsburgh Inactivation Ceremony - January 17, 2020
On January 17, 2020 the USS Pittsburgh inactivation ceremony was held in Keyport, Washington. Here's a link to CO CDR Jason Deichler's Inactivation Speech and a link to the Inactivation Program.
Pittsburgh Post Gazette article about the USS Pittsburgh and our local Navy League
USS Pittsburgh Set for Decommissioning
The USS Pittsburgh, SSN 720, a Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine, arrived at Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton on May 28, 2019 to begin the eventual decommissioning process. The USS Pittsburgh was commissioned in 1985 and home ported in Groton, CT. She was launched on December 8, 1984 sponsored by Dr. Carol Sawyer, and commissioned on November 23, 1985. We in the Pittsburgh Council are most proud to have supported the crew and boat since its christening.
The Inactivation ceremony was held January 17, 2020.
See the stories in the 2Q19 and the 1Q20 Newsletters.
USS Pittsburgh arrives at Bremerton Naval Base for inactivation and eventual decommissioning
Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey praises the USS Pittsburgh and crew
Pa Senator Toomey pays tribute, in the Senate Congressional Record, to the USS Pittsburgh and 35 year service by crew members.
USS Pittsburgh Change of Command
Council members attended the Change of Command of the USS Pittsburgh on January 12, 2018. CDR Neil Colston, the outgoing commanding officer, thanked the Council for its support, including visits to the city by the crew, hosting a Christmas party for the crew’s children and providing a scholarship program. The Council welcomed CDR Jason Deichler, a son of Pittsburgh, as the new commanding officer; and, of course, celebrated with a Pittsburgh traditional cookie table.
See the January 16, 2018 Pittsburgh Post Gazette article:
See the February 2, 2018 Pittsburgh Post Gazette article:
See the USS Pittsburgh Tab for further information
USS Pittsburgh Supporters
THE END OF AN ERA
The day has come to deactivate the USS Pittsburgh (SSN-720)…a sad occasion but a day to celebrate!
The people of Pittsburgh have stood by the submarine that proudly bore her name. From the launching, through many years of deployments in defense of our nation, we have faithfully supported the crew.
The de-activitation date is set for January 17, 2020 at the Naval Underseas Museum Keyport, Washington.
Links to articles about the USS Pittsburgh decommissioning
Pittsburgh's namesake ship, USS Pittsburgh, being decommissioned - WPXI Pittsburgh
USS Pittsburgh arrives at final base for decommissioning - Tribune-Review Archive
USS Pittsburgh Ready for Decommissioning - Military.com
USS Pittsburgh Submarine Decommissioned - NewsRadio 1020 KDKA
RELIEF CREW NEWS
USS Pittsburgh (SSN-720)
By John Caspero
Membership
As of January 17, 2020 there will be no crew to ‘relieve’ thus the Relief Crew will cease to exist! Thanks to all of you members who are relatively recent or have been members for many years. A gift of a picture of the USS Pittsburgh (SSN-720), at sea (on the surface), is being provided to all members of the Relief Crew from the past few years. This photo contains the signatures of all the Commanding Officers of the boat from CDR Ray Setser through CDR Jason Deichler.
Scholarship Fund on Deposit with the Pittsburgh Foundation
On December 2019 the Board of Directors approved
a process in which future selection of scholarship recipients will remain with
the Pittsburgh Council. USS Pittsburgh
crew members and their dependents remain eligible and scholarships will be
chosen from the applications we receive.
For 2020 and later, individual contributions can be made to the fund
designating the submarine fund as recipient
The following posts are relevant to the USS Pittsburgh and occurred prior to the initiation of the inactivation and decommission process.
USS Pittsburgh Change of Command January 12, 2018
Members of the Pittsburgh Council attended the Change of Command for the USS Pittsburgh, January 12 in Croton, Ct. The outgoing CO, CDR Neil Colston thanked the council for it's support including visits to the city by the crew, Christmas Party for crew's children and the scholarship program. It was the Pittsburgh Council's joy to welcome CDR Jason Deichler, incoming CO a son of Pittsburgh (a first for the boat), and family to the Pittsburgh Council Family. We all enjoyed a Pittsburgh tradition, "cookie table" at an evening gathering.
CDR Jason Deichler is on the left --he is the incoming CO, and CDR Neil Colston, outgoing CO at a breakfast for their families/special guests hosted by the Navy League, Pittsburgh Council.
Jason M. Deichler, a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, received his commission in 1999 through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics.
Commander Deichler’s first assignment was USS WEST VIRGINIA (SSBN-736) (GOLD), where he led various shipwide divisions while completing four strategic deterrent patrols. Upon completion, he served as a Shift Engineer and Material Officer onboard MTS Daniel Webster (MTS-626) in Charleston, South Carolina. Reporting as the Engineering Officer onboard USS SPRINGFIELD (SSN-761), he completed a Central Command Deployment while earning the Submarine Squadron Two Battle Efficiency “E” award. As the Executive Officer on the USS ASHEVILLE (SSN-758), he completed a Western Pacific Deployment, earning a Meritorious Unit Commendation.
His shore tours include Associate Professor of Naval Science at The George Washington University, Material Officer for Submarine Group Two and the Nuclear Officer Program and Submarine Officer Community Manager on the OPNAV N133 staff. He holds a Master of Engineering Management degree from Old Dominion University. He is entitled to wear the Meritorious Service Medal (two awards), Navy Commendation Medal (five awards), and other various personal, unit and service awards.
Commander Deichler is married to the former Michelle Hoover of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They have four children: Hannah, James, Matthew and Ian.
Pittsburgh Council members Katherine Kersten, Polly Bozdech-Veater and John Caspero, attended the Change of Command. The "cookie table" is a long standing Pittsburgh tradition usually done at weddings. Cookies all made by relatives---CDR Deichler's wife Michelle mom's and friends made dozens upon dozens of cookies.
The CO, his wife and the team from the Pittsburgh Council:
And a wonderful Thank You from the CO:
USS Pittsburgh crew proudly displays Pittsburgh Steeler Terrible Towels
The USS PITTSBURGH SSN-720 Crew, on a port stop, holding 100 terrible towels and rooting for the Steelers. The submarine veterans of the Requin Base in Pittsburgh, sent them the towels.
Pittsburgh Council, Patriotism & Gratitude, Honor, Knowledge, Service, Awareness, & Engagement
The Navy League of the United States is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating our citizens about the importance of sea power to U.S. national security and supporting the men and women of the sea services and their families. Visit www.navyleague.org for the national updates.